


Luminescence

by GlitterMan (Glitter_Man)



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-03-07 22:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18882406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitter_Man/pseuds/GlitterMan
Summary: Maratus is researching the bioluminescent creatures of the ocean when he finds one he wasn't expecting





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I ah, took some creative liberties with the equipment needed for deep sea exploration. It's hard to look cool in a newtsuit.  
> Edit: Already had to change the rating in preparation for chapter 2, I didn't forsee a certain... problem.

     Maratus checked his suit one last time and dove into the water. He was hoping to find the bioluminescent fauna that were supposed to live in the depths of the ocean, though there hadn't been much luck here before. But after all his research, he was certain this was a good spot. As he dove deeper, the water got darker, and the colors got duller. Eventually he had to switch on his helmet lights just to be able to find the ocean floor.

     As Maratus finally neared the bottom, he knew he had to switch off his lights if he was going to find anything. As his eyes adjusted, the ocean seemingly lit up around him. The lights flickered and flashed, as the swirl of ocean life continued around him. Occasional squids swam by, flashing their photophores to attract smaller prey. Some of the lights were just tiny specks, likely krill. Maratus looked around at this new world in wonder, and began taking notes in his mind.

\--------

     This... this was the first time this had happened. There was something... new, in the depths. He didn't know what to think of it. Could it be new prey, or perhaps a predator? No, too small to be a predator. But too big for the average prey as well... He swam a little closer, and continued watching.

\--------

     Maratus was lost in the scenery around him, watching the dance of creatures and lights. He stayed wary of the occasional inquisitive squid, but they didn't seem to care much about him. He caught a small jellyfish in his hands and watched it glow for a bit before releasing it. This was beautiful. The bottom of the ocean was a sight to behold.

  
\-------

     As he watched, he began to wonder about the way the slim figure continued to turn around and take in it's surroundings. Food was scarce down here, was it searching for prey? This didn't seem like an efficient way of doing so. He considered getting a closer look. It didn't seem dangerous, and was small enough to easily be taken out or outswam. He made his decision, and swam closer.

\------

     As Maratus took in his surroundings, he noticed something peculiar. A small group of lights seemed brighter than the rest, and were growing in size. He couldn't tell what they were at all. Maybe a small colony of something? Some particularly special spots on a new creature? The shape came closer, and he began doubting his vision. Had the pressure gotten to him? Because that couldn't be... the eyes of a a mermaid?

\-------

     As he reached the figure, it stopped and stared at him. He wondered if he made a mistake getting so close, but then decided that it looked more afraid than anything, and got closer. It reminded him... of himself. The same shape on top, even similar arms. The arms were definitely something out of place down here. He thought he was the only one that looked like this. He reached out to grab one of its arms.

\------

     Maratus couldn't believe his eyes. In front of him was objectively a mermaid. Or, merman, it seemed, with a beard and what appeared to be a mask on its face, glowing out of six supposed eye holes and the center. The merman reached out and grabbed his hand, and Maratus was immobilized by shock. There was no precedent for this. What do you do when you come face to face with a creature out of a fantasy book?

     It began studying him, seemingly comparing their arms. It swam even closer, reaching up the arm and towards his shoulder. Was it... studying him? He was startled out of his wonderings when it pulled his face forward, and began poking at the mask. This merman didn't seem threatening, but this was dangerous. Maratus steeled his nerves and pushed the prodding hand down.

\-----

     He decided to follow the creature's instruction and stop poking at the mask, even though it intrigued him. He didn't want to lose his either. He began inspecting the lower appendages, that seemed ill suited for life in the water. Could this be a land creature? He had never seen one before, hardly even remembered they existed. They weren't important. But this, this was interesting. He decided he wasn't going anywhere.

\-----

     Maratus was still staring at the merman when his air timer started beeping. It was time to get back to the surface. But, to leave this behind? To leave a discovery so new and unique? It pained him, but he wanted to live to see it again. So with a great reluctance, he pulled away from the merman and began swimming towards the surface.

     What he didn't expect was the creature following him.

     As Maratus swam up, the merman followed him, watching his movements intently. Maratus began to worry. Had he disturbed it's habitat? Could it survive if it followed him farther up? He didn't know what to do, but eventually he decided that a living thing wouldn't follow him to its death. It seemed intelligent, and not worried about what was going on. So Maratus continued upwards, and towards the shore.

\-------

     He hadn't been to the surface very often. It was something he did once or twice, just to see what was up there. It seemed like a lot of nothing. He was surprised to find he could still breathe when he got there, but other than that it was uninteresting. But this time was different. This time he had a guide. So he followed the land dweller up and towards the shore.

\-------

     When Maratus reached the dock in the secluded inlet he had departed from, he was surprised to find the merman still following him. Even so he pulled himself up and took off his mask. The ocean was wonderful, but breathing fresh air was still better. He looked back as the merman surfaced and took a few experimental breaths. This was entirely new territory.

     "Uhh, hello?" Maratus tried. The merman cocked its head at him. "Can you ah, talk at all?" It simply stared at him. "Alright then... I'm Maratus," he said, pointing at himself. He repeated his name a few times emphasizing the sounds and showing how he was moving his mouth.

     The merman considered this for a moment, and then let out a small hum. It seemed shocked at the noise it made. Maratus supposed that there wasn't much use for talking in the deep sea.

     "Mm... mmmm... Mmmaaaaaa" it vocalized. It tried the r for awhile before getting frustrated and moving on to the t and s sounds. After a few long minutes of practice, it finally managed to get out his name.

     "Maratus."

\------

     He was surprised when the first noise escaped him, and excited to find he could make more. As he finally mimicked the noises of the surface creature, he realized he was breaking new ground. Now this, this was exciting. Who knew what he could do up here?

\------

     Maratus smiled. Who could have known what he'd accomplish today? As he watched the merman play with new sounds, his inner scientist kicked in, and he began studying the... man? fish? He wasn't sure what to call it, it had no name that he knew of. Nonetheless, he was amazed by how human it looked from up here, hesitantly leaning on the dock. The only difference was the faint but still there glow around the eyes. He stared for awhile, wondering what could be behind that mask.

     He didn't want to leave. But he needed to eat, and if he was going to make any progress here, he'd need some supplies. But how to convince the merman to stay? How to even ask him to?

     He got its attention, and attempted to gesture that he needed food, and would be back soon. The merman watched him intently, Maratus would just have to hope it understood. As an attempt at good faith, he left his mask and tank on the dock, waved goodbye, and left.

\------

     As the creature ran off, he pondered what to do next. Should he stay? It left these seemingly important items here, maybe he should guard them. They seemed to have reached some sort of understanding, this... Maratus and him. He decided to stay, at least for a little while.


	2. Chapter 2

     Maratus rushed to stuff everything he thought he'd need in his car. He packed like he was going camping, bringing a sleeping bag and food that was easy to make. He supposed he was technically going camping. He didn't plan on leaving again until he absolutely had to. He had forged some sort of connection with the merman, and had no intention of letting it go.

\------

     He lounged by the dock, rolling the new sounds he could make around in his mouth. He supposed he had to call himself something, these noises seemed to be important. As he waited for Maratus to return, he wondered what he could call himself.

\----

     When Maratus walked back through the trees towards the inlet, he was relieved to see that the merman hadn't left. In fact, it looked excited to see him. It's shark-like tail agitated the water behind it, as it started gesturing to itself.

     "Kleimann," it said, in a gravelly voice.

     "Oh!" said Maratus. "So you're... Kleimann?" It seemed satisfied, and began looking curiously at Maratus's bags. "Oh, I uh, brought some stuff, so I can stay here," he said. He knew the merman couldn't understand him, but it gave him some peace of mind to talk to someone. "Do you uh, want some food?" he said, gesturing to the large cooler he brought. Maratus pulled out a banana, and Kleimann looked at it perplexed. Maratus sighed, peeled it, and took a bite. This seemed to fascinate Kleimann, and he snatched the banana out of Maratus's hand and took a bite. He pondered it for a moment, before deciding that it wasn't suitable for eating and spitting it out. Maratus laughed, and took the banana back.

     "No bananas, gotcha. What do you eat then?" he asked, making inquisitive eating motions with his hands.

     Kleimann considered this for a moment, then dove beneath the surface of the water for a short time. Just as Maratus began to worry he wasn't coming back, he resurfaced holding a small fish. Kleimann pointed at the fish, and indicated that it was usually much bigger. Maratus nodded and Kleimann tossed the fish back into the water. Maratus thought about what he had with him, eventually rummaging through the cooler and pulling out a turkey sandwich. He offered it to Kleimann, who took it and sniffed at it before taking a bite. This food seemed to please him enough. He mostly finished it, stopping once to take the layers apart and inspect them. Maratus was happy with his progress, and thrilled to see that Kleimann was figuring things out quickly.

\------

     Kleimann leaned on the dock, feeling pleased with how well ge was adapting to this surface dweller's lifestyle. Though he still had an important question, the one that had drawn him to this creature in the first place. He pushed himself up a little higher, and pointed insistently at Maratus's lower half.

     "What, my legs?" he said, " Oh, I guess you don't know what legs are. These," he said, gesturing, "are legs." Kleimann didn't understand most of those noises, but he decided that the most repeated sound was likely his answer.

     He pointed again and said "Legs?"

"Legs. And these are called arms. Arms."

     "Arms," Kleimann replied, then pointed to his own. "Arms?"

     "Yeah. You have arms too." Maratus said.

     Kleimann continued pointing at features on Maratus's body, learning the words and confirming the parts that were shared. It took some time, but by the end, Kleimann was convinced he understood most of it. Then he wondered something. Did the human have words for parts of him? He knew he didn't have legs, so what was this called? With a bit of effort, Kleimann managed to hoist the rest of himself on the dock, and pointed to his shark like tail.

     "You have a tail," Maratus said.

     "Legs?" Kleimann asked.

     "Nope, just a tail."

     "You... have a legs?" Kleimann tried.

     "Yes, I have legs." Maratus said with a laugh.

     "I... have a tail?" he tried again, picking up on a few new sounds.

     "Yup," Maratus replied.

     Kleimann was proud of himself for picking up on all of these new things. As he lay on the dock, he was pleased to find that drying off didn't bother him. The warm sun actually felt enjoyable on his skin. It was nice, being up here with Maratus. He hoped Maratus would continue indulging him with his questions.

\-------

     They talked for a few hours, Kleimann rapidly picking up on new words. Maratus was impressed by his recent companion, and smiled as they conversed. He watched how Kleimann's hair frizzed up as it dried, and was amused when he finally noticed and began trying to comb it out with his fingers. Maratus had dried off and changed at home, though he did still have his wetsuit with him. Eventually Kleimann asked about the clothes.

     "So uh, they protect you from outside? And ah, keep certain things covered that need to stay covered." Maratus replied, occasionally using hand motions to explain his words. Kleimann poked at the hem Maratus's shorts. He lifted them up off his leg a bit before looking underneath, seeming mildly surprised to find more skin. He then went to Maratus's shirt, pulling up at that too. Before he got too far, Maratus swatted his hand away. "Certain things stay covered, remember?"

     Kleimann didn't entirely understand, but he understood a request to stop when he saw one. He figured these coverings were similar to his mask, and hid something important. He let the matter be.

     Maratus leaned back on the dock, and watched Kleimann try new words for a bit, helping him put them together on occasion. Kleimann seemed to be reacting to the surface well, not having any trouble with breathing the air or getting dried out. They lounged adjacent to each other, Kleimann eventually running out of questions to ask.

\-----

     As the two of them layed there, Kleimann eventually sat up to ask Maratus more about food. But then he noticed something was wrong.

     "Legs?" he said in a concerned voice.

     "What about em?" Maratus asked.

     "Legs!" Kleimann said more insistently, nudging his companion.

     "Yeah, I heard ya, what do you-" and then he noticed.

\------

     The damn mermaid grew legs.

     "How in the hell?"

     Kleimann was looking down at his new legs with concern and curiosity. He poked one experimentally, and seemed slightly shocked that he could feel them. Maratus didn't know how to handle this.

     "Has this ever happened?" he asked. Kleimann shook his head. "...Have you ever been on land?" Kleimann shook his head again. "Maybe this is... normal?" Maratus wondered aloud. Kleimann shrugged and began inspecting his legs more closely. Then Maratus realized something else.

     "Fuck. You need fucking pants." Maratus scrambled to get to his bag for something to cover Kleimann up with. He considered a pair of his pants, but quickly decided that they wouldn't fit. Eventually he came back with a beach towel, and threw it at Kleimann. "Cover up with this?" he asked. Kleimann didn't seem to understand.

     "Just, you see where my shorts cover? Cover that up," Maratus said, trying not to look at him. Why the hell did he just suddenly get legs? And hour ago he didn't even know what a leg was! This was complicated to say the least. Kleimann eventually made an inquisitive noise, and Maratus looked at him again, relieved to find the towel over his lap. Kleimann pulled one leg closer, and began inspecting his foot.

     "Do you... wanna try to use them?" Maratus asked. "Do you want to walk?" Kleimann nodded enthusiastically.

     "Okay, so... first off, you gotta stand up. Like this," Maratus said, pushing himself off the ground. Kleimann complied, though Maratus had to quickly show him how to wrap the towel around himself. He stood up shakily, but was on his feet and didn't seem to be going down anytime soon.

\-------

     Kleimann wasn't sure about these new legs, but he figured if he had them he might as well learn how to use them. After he got to his feet (and got covered up again), he carefully followed Maratus's motions and attempted to take a few steps. This was... different, to say the least. New limbs and new motions, though it didn't feel too difficult. He was pleased to find that moving with these legs wasn't hard for him.

     As his first mission with this new form of movement was to inspect the strange greenery past the dock. He moved slowly at first, then gradually sped up. Maratus watched him eagerly, impressed at how quickly he picked this up. When Kleimann reached the edge of the dock, he stopped for a moment, then carfully bent his legs to kneel down, as he had seen Maratus do before. He then pointed at the foliage.

     "That's grass," Maratus said, "You can touch it, if you want." He came up next to Kleimann, and knelt down beside him.

     Kleimann reached forward and touched the grass, finding it to be cool and pleasant to the touch. He carefully took a piece in his fingers and plucked it out of the ground. It was similar to seaweed, he supposed, the same color and coming out of the dirt. He got up and stepped out onto the grass, finding it to be ticklish on his feet. He took a few more steps before Maratus grabbed his shoulder.

     "We ah, shouldn't go too far," he said. "It might not be safe for you out there." Kleimann looked at him, mildly annoyed to be stopped in his pursuit of more knowledge. He turned around and walked back to the end of the dock, sitting down once more. Walking was interesting, but if there was nowhere to go, what was the point?


	3. Chapter 3

     Maratus felt bad not letting Kleimann explore, but he couldn't exactly let a man clad in nothing but a towel roam the streets. Maratus would have to get him some clothes. Though, maybe that could wait till tomorrow. It was getting late, and Maratus needed some rest after a day like today. He said as much to Kleimann who, after and explanation of what rest was, agreed. Maratus pulled out his sleeping bag (and an extra blanket from the back of his car), and layed them both down on the ground away from the water and sand. It wasn't quite night yet, but it was getting close. Kleimann looked at the blanket dubiously, but sat down on it regardless. Maratus wasn't sure if Kleimann slept, but even fish (or sharks, as Kleimann's tail had previously shown him to be) had periods of rest.

     Maratus kicked his sandals off and laid down on top of the sleeping bag next to the blanket. The sky was growing darker, and Kleimann was beginning to show the light under his mask again.

     "Why do you cover your face up, anyway?" Maratus asked. There didn't seem to be much of a point to it, seeing as it did nothing to hide the glow. It was a fascinating mask, to say the least. There were two rows of cyan markings (eye holes? Two of them would make sense, but six?) with another column of the same color down the middle where the glow was emanating from. The mask itself was purple with silver edging.

     Kleimann just shook his head in response to Maratus's question. He tried a different one. "Can I see what's underneath?" Kleimann shook his head again, more vigorously this time. Maratus decided to let the matter be. He didn't want to be rude after all.

\------

     Kleimann was glad that Maratus let the topic go. The mask had been a means of comfort for him for many years, and one of protection before that. The memories were foggy, but still remained. It had been a gift from his mother, one of the few things he had of her. It kept him safe, both from things above and below the water. He'd had to be protected constantly before he got it, unable to fight off the sea creatures that got agitated when they saw his unfiltered light. Now he was stronger, but kept the mask on to protect himself anyway. His mother had told him to keep it on if he ever went above water, though he wasn't sure why. He wondered if the light would have the same effect on land dwellers. He didn't especially want to find out.

     He carefully watched Maratus out of the corner of his eyes, making sure he had no more intrusive questions (or plans to take the mask off himself). He didn't seem to, so Kleimann also laid back and looked up at the sky. It was beautiful. He had only seen it a couple of times, and never like this. The sky was still pink at the horizon, but slowly fading out to a deep blue.

     Kleimann was startled out of his reverie by Maratus. "Have you ever seen the sunset?" he asked. Kleimann shook his head. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

     Kleimann wasn't exactly sure what beautiful meant, but he decided if it was a word to describe this then it must be a good thing. After the sun faded below the skyline Kleimann turned back to Maratus, only to find him with his eyes closed, already asleep. He watched his companion for awhile, then entered a quiet state of rest himself.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, Kleimann does just. Eat a raw squid in this one. I didn't go into detail, but just thought I'd let y'all know.

     Kleimann wasn't sure how long it had been since he closed his eyes, but it was still dark when he woke up. He sat up, made sure Maratus was still asleep, then took off his mask and rubbed his eyes. He carefully put it back on, and walked to where the ocean was lapping at the shore. He hadn't worried about his tail before, but now the worry was starting to sink in. The surface was fun and all, but he was an ocean creature... right? He felt at home there, though he didn't know if that was solely because it was where he had lived all his life. But now he had these legs that he hardly knew what to do with. Could he even swim anymore? He wasn't sure what to do.  
  
     Eventually, Kleimann took a couple steps into the water. It felt comforting on these strange feet. He took a few more steps, then worried again. Could he still breathe under the water? What if he couldn't? He supposed there was only one way to find out. He walked to the dock, and, with a small splash, slipped into the water.  
  
    It felt amazing. He took a deep breath, and coughed a bit, but otherwise was fine. He wasn't sure what to do about his legs until he looked down.  
  
     Was that... his tail? His tail was back! He swam out farther to sea, and spun around in the water. Now then, while he appreciated Maratus's efforts, it was time to get some proper food.  
  
\------  
  
     When Maratus woke up, he was surprised to find he had slept through the whole night. It took him a moment to remember where he was, but slowly he recalled the events of the day before. He turned to face Kleimann, only to find him gone.  
  
     Maratus looked around in a panic. Where could he have gone? Had Maratus just imagined it? No, he couldn't have. He always recognized a dream when he woke up. And besides, why else would he have slept on the beach?  
  
     As he panicked, he heard a splashing come from near the dock. He looked to see what it was, and saw a dead squid being hurled up onto it. And behind the squid was Kleimann, who looked pleased with himself.  
  
     "Kleimann!" Maratus shouted, running over. "I thought you had left..." Then he felt bad. Kleimann was a creature of the ocean after all. Maybe he shouldn't have expected him to stay. Though he was back now. Annnd ripping a tentacle off a squid with his teeth.  
  
     Kleimann shook his head and swallowed before simply saying "Food," and continuing to much on his piece of squid. He paused for a moment and ripped off another piece, offering it to Maratus.  
  
     "Ahh, I appreciate it, but no thanks," he said, pushing it away gently. Kleimann shrugged, and took a bite himself. This was starting to look a bit gruesome. As Maratus tried to distract himself from the sight, he realized something.  
  
     "Wait, how are you swimming?" Kleimann grinned, and pushed himself up onto the dock. "You're tail is back? But how?" Kleimann shrugged and got back into the water, continuing to eat. Maratus considered the possibilities. He decided he'd have to get more observations if he wanted to figure this out.  
  
\------

     Kleimann felt bad for taking so long, but it took some time before he was deep enough and out far enough to catch a decent squid. He considered eating it out there, but decided since Maratus shared some of his food Kleimann would share some of his (he was mildly offended when Maratus declined, but supposed that it just meant more for him).  
  
     He still wasn't sure why his tail came back, but he didn't mind. Though, he did kind of want to explore more of the surface, now that he knew his tail wasn't gone forever. But how to get the legs again?  
  
     He decided to hoist himself up on the dock again when he was done eating (and after obliging Maratus and cleaning himself off). Maratus had gotten out his own food of some sort, which he called a "breakfast bar." As Kleimann lounged on the dock, Maratus rolled up his sleeping bag and shoved it back in his wheeled machine, leaving the blanket out. Then he turned to Kleimann again.  
  
     "Why did you come back?" Maratus asked. "I mean, not that I didn't want you to, I just, don't really understand why?"  
  
     Kleimann had to admit, he wasn't entirely sure either. Of course, there was his curiosity about the surface, but was that really all of it? He hadn't even considered not coming back at the time. After thinking for a bit, he looked for the words and said, "I didnt want to leave."  
  
\------  
  
     At this answer Maratus flushed a bit, then turned away embarrassed. Had he really made that much of an impression? Of course not, Kleimann just wanted to explore. Though, he had implied that he never had any interest in being on land before. He decided to leave that train of thought behind and fished some bottled herbal tea out of his trunk. It wasn't his favorite, but he needed some tea and this was what he had. He pulled out two bottles, one for Kleimann and one for himself. When he turned back around, he noticed Kleimann's legs were back.  
  
     "Kleimann? You have legs again," he said, much less concerned than he had been the first time. Kleimann looked behind himself and grinned. He carefully stood up, and made his way over to Maratus and the car. Maratus handed him one of the another towel, and then a bottle of tea. Kleimann sighed and wrapped the towel around himself, and watched Maratus open his bottle. Kleimann then opened his own, seeming pleased when he got the lid off. He took an experimental drink, then pointed at it excitedly.  
  
     "What, do you like it?" Maratus asked. Kleimann nodded enthusiastically, and took another drink. Maratus made a note on his head to get more when he went to the store. Speaking of going to the store...  
  
     "I'm gonna need to leave in a bit, if you're going to roam around you need clothes," Maratus said. Kleimann frowned at this, though whether it was at the thought of being left alone again or of clothes Maratus wasn't sure. Maratus looked at Kleimann, trying to decide what size he'd wear. Kleimann watched him right back, and Maratus faltered a bit under the intensity of his gaze. Kleimann was very tall, at least a foot taller than Maratus, and built strong as well. With difficulty under Kleimann's scrutiny, he just decided to get the large man some tees and sweatpants. He was awful at guessing sizes, even for himself.  
  
     Maratus looked away and took a drink of his tea. Kleimann, thankfully, didn't continue watching him, and instead went over and sat down on the blanket. Maratus figured he might as well go, before Kleimann wanted to go exploring again.  
  
     "I'll be back here in a bit, okay? Don't go too far."  
  
\-------  
  
     Kleimann watched Maratus leave, though not before asking about the wheeled machine that he got into. "It's a car," he had said, "I'll let you get in when I get back." Kleimann wasn't sure he wanted to be in that thing, but decided if Maratus trusted it then he would too.  
  
     He got up and wandered around the small cove, feeling the sand and grass underneath his feet. He was still amazed at the fact that he had feet. He wanted to use them to explore this new world, but understood that he couldn't go anywhere without a guide. So instead he laid back down, and waited for Maratus to return.


	5. Chapter 5

     Maratus looked around the clothing section of the superstore, trying to find something he thought might fit Kleimann. Eventually he found a rack of black sweatpants, and grabbed a couple extra large pairs. He considered getting a pack of black tees, but decided to get a few purple ones instead, to match Kleimann's mask. Not everyone wore all black all the time like Maratus did. He grabbed a large pair of sandals too, and hoped they would fit.

     After Maratus gathered the clothes, he wandered towards the groceries, looking for more tea, and some non perishable foods. He wasn't sure how much time he'd be spending at the cove, after all. He got some more of the bottled tea, as well as some hibiscus and passionfruit tea bags he thought Kleimann might enjoy. He bought a few other necessities, and made his way to the checkout.

\-----

     Kleimann jumped a bit when he heard Maratus's car door slam. He realized he must have started dozing at some point, but quickly composed himself and got up to face his companion. Maratus pulled a few bags out of his back seat and tossed them over towards Kleimann, who fell backwards while trying to step out of the way.

     "Oh. Right. You don't know how to catch. Sorry, are you okay?" Maratus said, rushing over to help him up. Kleimann wasn't injured by the fall, though he was frustrated by it. That sort of thing never happened underwater. He accepted Maratus's help in sitting up, and began looking through the bags.

     "The clothes might be a little big, but they should fit," Maratus said. Kleimann dumped out one of the bags onto the blanket and took a moment to appreciate Maratus's color choices. He wasn't thrilled about wearing these clothes, but supposed if he had too at least they would look nice on him. Though... how did you put them on? He looked at Maratus for help.

     Maratus sighed and grabbed a shirt to start with, slowly putting it on to give him and example. It took Kleimann a few tries to get his arms in the right holes, and to get it safely over his mask, but with some help he got the shirt on.

     "Okay, now the pants," Maratus said, grabbing a pair of the sweatpants and repeating the process. Kleimann had less trouble with these, thankfully. Maratus had looked away while Kleimann put on the pants, presumably due to the same reason Kleimann had to wrap himself in a towel before.

     Finally, Maratus handed the sandals to Kleimann, who looked at the pair on Maratus's feet and put them on in one try. These clothes weren't so bad, he supposed.

\------

     Maratus was glad Kleimann didn't require too much help to get the clothes on, and was thankful they seemed to fit alright. He actually looked pretty good in his new outfit, Maratus thought. And the shirt matched the mask perfectly. Maratus considered the mask for a minute. It would look strange in public, but Kleimann didn't seem to be okay with taking it off. Maratus decided to leave it be for now, plenty of people had seen stranger things than a man in a mask. Thought he wouldn't exactly be welcome in any sort of establishment. Maratus was going to have to pull some strings if they were going to go in anywhere.

     Kleimann seemed eager to get going. He got up and walked towards the edge of the cove, stopping to look impatiently back at Maratus.

     "Alright, alright, I'm coming." Maratus said. "Do you want to use the car?" Kleimann shook his head. "Alrighty, then let's go."

     They carefully walked away from the beach, Maratus helping Kleimann along the dirt trail that separated it from the rest of the town. They emerged onto a backroad, and made their way into the town itself. It wasn't too far, and thankfully Kleimann didn't seem to mind the walking, even though he wasn't used to it. As the stepped onto a main road, Kleimann looked around in wonder.

     "Welcome to New Alberia," Maratus said.

\-----

     Kleimann stared at the sights in the town. He had so many questions, and so few words to ask them with. What were those structures made of rock and glass? Were all of those machines cars? And the people! So many more people than he was used to. Kleimann was amazed. He didn't expect there to be anyone else even remotely similar to him, as he was unique in the ocean, but now he looked almost exactly like everyone around him.

     Kleimann knew Maratus was watching him, but couldn't think of anything to say. So he simply walked on, looking through the glass of the structures to everything inside. What were all of these things? He recognized the clothes, because of the way they sat on the fake people shapes, but there was so much that he didn't know. And what were all these scribbles everywhere?

     Kleimann didn't want to seem out of the ordinary, even underwater he knew it was important to fit in, so he kept his questions inside. Maratus followed Kleimann without saying a word, occasionally grabbing him to stop him from running into something. Or someone. Eventually Maratus just kept his hand on Kleimann's back, to guide him and keep track of him. They walked down the sidewalk until they eventually reached a small park. Maratus guided Kleimann over to a bench away from any excitement.

     "Well? Have any questions?" Maratus said.

     Kleimann nodded, but realized he still didn't have the words. He growled, frustrated, and looked around for something to help him ask his questions.

     Surprisingly, he found the answer right behind him. There were more of those scribbles on the bench! He pointed at those and made an inquisitive noise. Maratus looked at what he was pointing at and said,

     "Oh, that? Those are words. It says 'In honor of those that came before us.' I guess you can't exactly read it, can you?"

     Kleimann didn't understand most of what Maratus said, but he felt like he got at least part of his answer. "Words?" He said, pointing at the plate on the bench.

     "Yeah, words," Maratus replied.

     Kleimann pointed to his mouth and said, "Words," a bit more firmly.

     "Ah, yeah. We can write to leave words somewhere others can see them," Maratus replied. "So you can say words, or write them."

     Kleimann supposed this made sense. But that meant he'd have to learn how to "write" these words as well as say them. This was proving to be a complicated adventure. Thankfully, he enjoyed a challenge.

     "Write more words," Kleimann said to his partner.

\-----

     Maratus fished a notepad and pen out of his bag, and began showing Kleimann the alphabet. He went over the sounds each letter made, and while he didn't expect Kleimann to get it on the first try, he did pretty well. Then he taught Kleimann how to sound out his name. It was a slow process, but by the end of it, Kleimann knew most of his letters, and could write Maratus's name. Maratus had no clue how he was supposed to spell Kleimann, so they didn't try that one.

     It was late afternoon by the time they got done, and both of them were getting hungry. They left their bench, and headed back towards the center of town. Maratus was pondering ideas for food. He didn't have much of an idea of what Kleimann liked, other than seafood, and there wasn't anywhere to get that around here. Eventually he stopped outside a small café.

     "Can you wait here?" he said to Kleimann. Kleimann warily nodded, and Maratus went inside to get some food.

     Maratus glanced at the menu, and decided on a couple of sandwiches, one with smoked salmon for Kleimann and a turkey club for himself. He got both of them some iced tea, and picked up a few no-bake cookies, one of his weaknesses.

     After paying, Maratus left the café to find Kleimann watching a bird in the bushes across the road. When he saw Maratus, he pointed at the bird and quietly asked what it was. Maratus explained birds too him, as well as dogs after one walked past them. They walked down the road in comfortable silence, Maratus stealing glances at his masked companion on occasion. He looked almost normal like this, walking down the street carrying a to go cup of tea, but Maratus knew he was anything but. This man was a mermaid, and actual mermaid. Maratus still wasn't sure how to handle that.

     Why was he showing Kleimann all of this anyway? It would have been easy just to lead a newspaper to the cove and reap the rewards of a new discovery. But Maratus had never even considered it. He saw the mutual curiosity in the creature's eyes and felt a connection with it, and now he was in it for the long run. At least he supposed he was. He didn't know how long Kleimann intended to stick around him, but he hoped it lasted, at least for a little while longer.

\-----

     During their silence, Kleimann attempted to sort out all the new information he had learned. There were a variety of new creatures, as well as these written words, and still he knew this wasn't all the surface had to offer. He had to learn more! Perhaps with the written words he could collect all of the new experiences. He made a note to ask Maratus to teach him more.

     He realized it had not occured to him to go back home yet, even though he had spent over a day away from it. He enjoyed it up here, and there was so much to learn. He enjoyed having some company as well. Maratus was a good companion to have, and Kleimann wanted to stay around him for awhile.

\-----

     When they reached the cove that was serving as a temporary home for the two of them, Maratus set down the bag of food and pulled out their sandwiches. When he handed Kleimann his, the man took a small bite and seemed pleased before continuing to eat. Maratus pulled out his own sandwich and started eating as well. They sat like that for a few minutes, just quietly eating and drinking their tea. Kleimann was the first one to break the silence.

     "Can I have a pen?" he asked, rather fluently. Maratus was impressed he remembered the words, if he was honest. He reached in his bag and pulled out the pen and paper again, handing them over to Kleimann. He watched as Kleimann began writing out letters, mostly in order, and then writing out Maratus's name, over and over, in tight, nearly illegible scrawl. He paused for a moment, then asked,

     "How do you write my name?" Maratus wasn't sure how to go about this, seeing as it wasn't exactly a common name. In fact, he was pretty sure Kleimann had made it up. But he thought about it, going over a few spellings in his head, before eventually deciding a german approach would be the way to go, and wrote it out. Kleimann inspected it for a few minutes, then began practicing writing it. Maratus decided he needed a notebook.

\-----

     Kleimann wrote his name out, again and again, until he was confident he would remember. As he wrote, the sky grew darker, until he was starting to have trouble seeing. He emitted a glow, but apparently not enough of one to write by. He offered the paper back to Maratus, who took it and said they should probably rest. Having finished his food awhile ago, Kleimann agreed, and they both laid down. Kleimann was tired, and fell into a quiet repose in no time at all.

\-----

     Maratus watched Kleimann as he seemingly fell asleep, though he was tired himself. It had been a busy day from start to finish. He watched as Kleimann's glow slowly faded out, untill it was just a subtle light in the darkness, pulsing with his breathing. He fell asleep like this, watching his companion's glow and listening to his quiet breath.


	6. Chapter 6

     Maratus woke first the next morning as the sun rose over the horizon. He quietly got up and fished another cereal bar out of one of his bags, then went over to sit on the dock and watch the sunrise. His shins were submerged in the cool ocean water, and he considered the past couple days in silence.

     Things had been eventful, to say the least. He had started two days ago exploring the ocean in hopes of an interesting discovery, and he supposed he had found it, though not in the way he intended. The time since then had been spent almost exclusively with Kleimann, other than the occasional trip to get necessities.

     It was... nice, to spend this much time with someone. Sure Maratus had friends, but they lived busy lives and didn't have much time to just hang out and enjoy things like he had in the past couple days. Kleimann was pleasant to be around, and even though he didn't talk much, they seemed to share a curiosity about the world that most others didn't understand. Maratus felt that Kleimann made an excellent companion, and greatly appreciated having him around.

\------

     Kleimann noticed Maratus get up in the corner of his mind, but ignored it. He laid there for a little while longer, before sitting up and stretching. Maratus was over on the dock, looking thoughtful. Kleimann considered sitting down next to him, but decided on a different course of action.

\-----

     Maratus was startled out of his thoughts as Kleimann came up past him and jumped into the water, splashing Maratus as he went under. Maratus sputtered a bit, and then laughed as he saw Kleimann twirling in the water below. Maratus thought Kleimann looked normal walking down the street yesterday, but now he could see where the man was clearly at home. Kleimann swam around for awhile longer, before swimming up to the dock next to Maratus and leaning on it grinning.

     "Good morning to you too," Maratus said with a laugh.

     Kleimann, after getting an explanation of what "good morning" meant, offered one in reply. They stayed like that for a little while, talking about the sunrise, and Maratus chastising Kleimann for jumping in the water fully clothed (that pair of sweatpants was gone now). After some time, Kleimann eventually declared that he was hungry, and intended to get food.

     Maratus, knowing the time that entailed, decided to go home and get cleaned up a bit. "I'll be back in a little while, okay? Be careful out there, and don't go to far on land without me," he said. Kleimann nodded, and ventured off back into the water to hunt some unsuspecting sea creature. Maratus, on the other hand, got in his car and ventured off to home.

\-----

     Kleimann did feel a little bad for losing the pants Maratus had got him, but decided that it wasn't a big deal, simply a learning experience. He removed the shirt and set it on the dock before swimming out into the open water, and beginning to look for his breakfast. Time to get hunting.

\-----

     Maratus unlocked his door and walked inside, making sure his apartment was intact. Everything seemed to be in order, so he found a change of clothes and slipped into the shower. The ocean was nice and all, but it was good to get all that salt and sand off of his body. He washed himself off, then got out and got dressed. He decided to eat a bowl of cereal (he was tired of those damn bars), and looked around to see if there was anything else he wanted while he was here.

     Maratus knew he couldn't stay on the beach forever, but he didn't especially want to leave Kleimann behind. And it seemed rather presumptuous to invite the man to live with him, especially considering his relationship with the ocean. Maratus pushed the thoughts from his head, picked up a few books, and left.

\-----

     Kleimann and Maratus returned to the shore at about the same time, both of them cleaned up and fed. Kleimann was leaning on the dock, attempting to put his shirt back on without falling over without his legs. He saw Maratus approach, and gave up on the shirt for the time being. Maratus came over and sat down near him.

     "Everything alright?" Maratus asked. Kleimann nodded, then tilted his head. He noticed something different about Maratus. He leaned closer and sniffed him. He smelled... different. Still good, but different. Kleimann wasn't sure how to convey this, so he simply pointed at Maratus and then his nose.

     "O-oh, I uh, took a shower. With soap. You don't know what soap is yet. I'll explain it sometime." Maratus said, stammering a bit. Kleimann wasn't sure why. His face seemed redder than usual too. Kleimann was a little concerned, but decided if Maratus wasn't panicking then it wasnt a big deal.

\-----

     Maratus would never admit that he blushed when Kleimann leaned in close to him. Anyone would, with that proximity. Kleimann was still watching him (and still far too close), so he turned away and began fishing his notebook out of his bag.

     Kleimann leaned away then, seemingly unconcerned with their previous proximity. Maratus finally got out his paper, and turned back to Kleimann. Whose legs were back once again, it seemed. Maratus abandoned his notebook and got up to find him pants.

     Kleimann put on his clothes and nudged Maratus once he was done. Maratus jumped then he did, still slightly skittish from their previous interaction. Then Kleimann pointed at Maratus's notebook and said "More writing?" hopefully. Maratus nodded, and they started their lessons for the day.

\-----

     By the time they were finished the sun was at the top of the sky, and Kleimann was rather proud of himself. He was beginning to actually read and comprehend some of the words, and could sound things out to spell and pronounce them. Maratus seemed proud too, and said how impressed he was with Kleimann's learning ability. Kleimann grinned at this, and laughed a bit.

     It was nice being around Maratus. Things got lonely underwater, but now he had a companion, someone to communicate and spend time with. And someone to learn from! All this new information was fascinating, and he couldn't wait to find out more. All in all, Maratus was good for him, and Kleimann wanted to stick around him.

\-----

     After they were finished working on Kleimann's writing skills (Maratus thought his writing was nearly illegible, but still nice), Maratus pulled out one of the books he had brought and handed it to Kleimann.

     "I thought you might like this. It's a book, which is like a collection of thoughts in written words. You can get some more practice reading, if you want." Kleimann eagerly took the book, inspecting it carefully. It was a nonfiction book about fish. Maratus felt Kleimann might like something that he knew a bit about. It wasn't too advanced, but still not childish. Maratus had brought a couple others from the same set, one on spiders, and one on reptiles.

     Kleimann eagerly took the book and began reading.

\-----

     They stayed like that till evening, Maratus (finally) recording some of his findings from the outing at sea, and Kleimann reading through the book he was given. When Kleimann finished the book, he stretched and looked over at Maratus who was doing... something. He had a small device in his hands, and was tapping on it rapidly.

     "What is that?" Kleimann asked.

     "Oh, this? It's a cell phone. It, well, it does a lot of stuff, but right now I'm typing up some information from the other day." Kleimann peered over Maratus's shoulder. Most of the words on the screen were unfamiliar to him. Maratus closed the screen with the words on it and offered the phone to Kleimann.

     "Here, you wanna see it? Just try not to get it wet, okay?" Kleimann eagerly took the device, interested to see how it worked. Maratus shifted a bit closer to show him what to do.

\-----

     Maratus had to be honest with himself, he didn't get much work done throughout the afternoon. He was distracted by his thoughts from earlier today. It hadn't occured to him until then, but he did find Kleimann... kind of attractive. Maratus cursed his inner romantic. He got crushes way too easily. And who knew if Kleimann was even interested in that sort of thing?

   Maratus's train of thought was broken when Kleimann stood up, apparently having finished with his book. Maratus started typing, hoping for nothing to seem out of the ordinary. Though, Kleimann wouldn't really have a idea of ordinary, would he? Kleiman sat down behind him, and Maratus realized he had never seen a phone. Well, might as well take this opportunity.

     He offered up his phone and shifted closer to Kleimann, to the point where their arms were almost touching. Kleimann didn't seem to mind, and began asking about the various icons, tapping on the screen as he did. Maratus explained them one by one, and showed Kleimann how to open and close them. Eventually he found the social media, which was a whole new thing to explain.

     The evening grew darker as they sat there navigating the piece of technology. Maratus felt himself beginning to drift off, but didn't want to cut Kleimann's exploration of the internet off just yet. He decided a little while longer wouldn't hurt.

\-----

     Kleimann noticed Maratus's answers getting shorter as he got more tired, until eventually, they stopped altogether. Not long after that he felt something on his shoulder. Maratus had fallen asleep, and his head had fallen onto Kleimann's shoulder. Kleimann felt an unfamiliar heat rise to his face under his mask. He elected to ignore that in favor of gently lying Maratus back on the blanket.

     He paused for a moment afterwards, watching his companion's soft breathing. There was something nice about this quiet moment with him. He didn't have a word for what he was feeling now, not yet.

     He looked away from Maratus and decided to lie down himself. And if he was a little closer than usual, well, there was no one else there to notice.


	7. Chapter 7

  
     Kleimann was the first to rise in the morning, waking up slowly from a sleep full of dreams he didn't entirely remember. He checked to make sure Maratus was still asleep, then quietly got up and took off his clothes to slip into the water. Once he was under, he took a minute to remove his mask and scrub at his face. Being dry on the surface made his skin feel filthy, and he relished in the refreshment of the cool ocean water.  
  
     Kleimann let himself sink to the bottom of the water and ponder the last few days. So many exciting discoveries! And yet still more to learn. His mother had taught him so much, yet so little. He held his mask to his chest and thought of her, regardless of how focusing on her memory made his head hurt.   
  
     Kleimann didn't have words to describe his mother, and he suspected they didnt exist. The other creatures could not even perceive her most times, other than feeling a deep, instinctual fear when she grew near. Something Kleimann had never been affected by, thankfully. He supposed that had something to do with the fact he was her son.   
  
     Kleimann's thoughts drifted, to the only other creature he had truly communicated with. Maratus was nothing like his mother, but Kleimann still felt attached to him in some way. He enjoyed Maratus's company, and his proximity. He wasn't sure what this feeling meant, but he was going to follow it.  
  
\-----  
  
     Maratus woke up, surprised that he hadn't woken up in the night. He didn't even really remember falling asleep. He looked around for Kleimann, and, after finding his clothes in a pile near the shore, assumed he had gone back underwater for the time being. Oh well, that gave Maratus time to change clothes himself.  
  
     After he changed, Maratus gathered up Kleimann's clothes and set a new pile out on the dock for when he got back. They were going to need to buy more clothes at some point. Maybe another trip to town was in store for the two of them. Though there wouldn't be many places Kleimann could go in... Maybe calling in a favor would be in order. He decided to text Orion. He owned a small clothing store downtown, and probably wouldn't mind helping out.   
  
     Before all that though, they both needed showers. Maratus was not looking forward to trying to teach Kleimann about that.  
  
\-----  
  
     When Kleimann surfaced, Maratus was sitting on the edge of the dock, feet splashing in the water. Kleimann lifted himself onto the dock next to him, and inquired about their plans for the day.  
  
     "I thought we'd go into town again," Maratus said. "I ah, thought we'd go to my house to get cleaned up, then go out to get you more clothes from a friend of mine." Kleimann nodded in agreement with this plan. Then Maratus's phone pinged. Kleimann tilted his head in question of the noise.   
  
     "Oh, that's probably just the friend I mentioned," Maratus said. Kleimann peered over his shoulder at the screen, reading the words.  
  
["Could I bring a friend by later? He's, well, a little different, and I could use some help getting him clothes.">  
  
<"Of course my friend, come by whenever you'd like, I'll be in the shop.]  
  
     Kleimann watched Maratus type out a "thanks" before putting his phone away.   
  
\-----  
  
     Maratus heart quickened a bit when he turned to face Kleimann. This man had no concept of personal space, and it was wreaking havoc on Maratus. He had planned on getting up, but now Kleimann was close enough that he couldn't easily do it, on the edge of the dock as he was.   
  
     Eventually Kleimann moved, and Maratus took the opportunity to push himself up and start packing up some of his things. He wasn't sure how long they'd be gone, and though people didn't tend to come out here, he didn't want to leave everything out.  
  
     He picked up the blanket and shook most of the sand off, before folding it up and putting it in a large plastic bag. Next he gathered up what food they had out, and stuffed it back into the coolers in his trunk. When he turned back around, Kleimann was putting his shirt on, legs back and pants already on, thankfully.   
  
     "So, wanna go for a ride?" Maratus asked.  
  
\-----  
  
     Maratus explained a bit about the car, before opening one of the doors and gesturing for Kleimann to climb in. After he did, Maratus shut the door and got in on the other side. He started to fasten a contraption around himself, before pausing and muttering something Kleimann couldn't hear. Then he spoke up.  
  
     "Alright, first rule of riding in my car, you gotta use this thing. It's a seatbelt." Maratus leaned over Kleimann and grabbed a similar contraption from beside Kleimann's arm, and pulled it across his body, fastening it near his hips. Maratus repeated the action on himself, then pulled something out of his backpack (a key, Kleimann found out), and started the car. Kleimann jumped a bit as it rumbled to life.   
  
     He was even more surprised when it started moving. This was... strange. They were moving at a speed quicker than he could walk, and they only went faster the longer they drove. Kleimann watched the world go by out the open window.  
  
\-----  
  
     Maratus spent most of the drive figuring out how to teach someone to shower, and the other part trying not to think of Kleimann in his shower. When they finally pulled up to the apartment, Maratus unbuckled his seatbelt and showed Kleimann how to unbuckle his. Kleimann figured out the door on his own, but didn't make any move to walk away from the car. He seemed attentive to his new surroundings.  
  
     "Come on, let me show you my place," Maratus said. Kleimann snapped out of his thoughts and followed Maratus to the door, which Maratus unlocked and opened. He then gestured Kleimann inside.  
  
\-----  
  
     Kleimann was wary of going inside the building, but trusted Maratus enough to go through the doorway. Once inside, he was distracted by everything around him.  
  
     Maratus followed him in and led Kleimann through the rooms, explaining the furniture as they went. Eventually he led Kleimann back to the kitchen, where they sat down and Maratus tried to explain that Kleimann should take a shower.  
  
     "So like, up on land, sometimes you gotta clean yourself off with water and soap so you smell good and get all the dirt and grime off of your body. Make sense so far?" Kleimann nodded, then recalled their interaction the previous day.   
  
     "You showered yesterday, yes?" Kleimann asked.  
  
     "Ah, yeah, I did," Maratus replied. "How to do it is easier to explain in the bathroom, come on."  
  
     They walked to the small bathroom, where Maratus gestured to a glass door sectioning off an even smaller portion of the room.   
  
     "Here's shampoo, which you're gonna rub into your hair." Maratus glanced at Kleimann's hair and added, "You'll probably want to use this conditioner too. This bar here is soap, which you use everywhere else. Rinse yourself off with the water after each step, okay?"   
  
     Kleimann glanced at Maratus, and then the shower. "Where is the water?" He asked.  
  
     "Oh, here, let me turn it on for you," Maratus said. He reached into the shower and turned a handle on the wall. Suddenly, water came shooting out of a fixture on the wall. Kleimann looked at it, intrigued.   
  
     "You gotta get undressed to shower, so I'm gonna leave the room, okay? And, uh, you'll probably want to take off your mask. I'll bring in some clean clothes for you to change into in a little bit. I gotta get them washed. Just get dressed and come out when you're done." With that, Maratus left the room. Kleimann looked at the shower, and removed his mask.  
  
\-----  
  
     "That could have gone worse," Maratus said to himself after he left the room. He went back out to his car to grab some of Kleimann's clothes, and threw them in the sink to wash them. He let them soak in the soapy water for a brief time, then pulled them out to put them in the small dryer he had in his apartment. Maratus grabbed a banana and sat down in the kitchen, waiting for Kleimann's clothes to be done.  
  
     Eventually the dryer stopped, so Maratus got up got out the clothes. He paused outside the bathroom door and knocked, then realized Kleimann had no clue what knocking was.   
  
     "I'm uh, gonna bring the clothes in now, okay?" Kleimann made a noise that Maratus assumed meant okay, so he closed his eyes and walked in, setting the clothes on the counter. "You doing okay?" Maratus asked. Kleimann made another noise, this one of assent, so Maratus left the room.  
  
     A while later, Kleimann came out of the bathroom, fully dressed and looking significantly cleaner. His mask was on, though it didn't look wet, so Maratus assumed he removed it while he showered. He had honestly been starting to wonder if it ever came off.  
  
     "Everything go okay?" Maratus asked. Kleimann nodded, still dripping slightly. Maratus chuckled a bit and went into the bathroom to grab a towel, and pushed Kleimann towards a chair so Maratus could dry his hair. Very quickly he realized he was going to need a comb. Kleimann did not seem pleased when Maratus started running the comb through his hair.  
  
     "What are you doing?" Kleimann asked, though he was more curious than annoyed.  
  
     "I'm combing your hair. I'm sure it's usually not a problem underwater, but now it's a bit of a tangled mess." Maratus answered, carefully running the comb through Kleimann's hair. Kleimann seemed to accept this answer, and put up with Maratus fussing about his hair in relative silence. Slowly, Maratus got the knots out of his hair.  
  
     "Is it okay if I take a shower now? There are plenty of books around, if you'd like to read," Maratus said. Kleimann grinned at this, eager to work on his reading skills. Maratus laughed and pulled out a couple books, setting them on the kitchen table. "I'll be out in a few."  
  
\-----  
  
     Once they were both showered (and fed, apparently Kleimann didn't hate eggs), Maratus decided to prepare Kleimann to go to Orion's shop.   
  
     "So, I planned on going to meet a friend to get you some clothes. Do you think you're good to meet another person?" Maratus asked.  
  
     Kleimann thought about this for a moment, thinking back to how he met Maratus. This wouldn't be on his territory this time, and he wasn't sure his communication skills were... great, no matter how much he had improved.  
  
     Maratus seemed to see the worry on his face, and reassured him, "Don't worry, Orion is safe. He won't judge you for being different. He's a little overwhelming at times, but hes a good man." Kleimann decided this was acceptable, and nodded.   
  
     "Great. Let's go."  
  
     The two of them got back into the car, and Maratus drove down streets that gradually got more crowded with cars and people, until they pulled up in front of a nice looking building. Kleimann carefully read the sign over the door, which said "Sewmates"  
  
     Kleimann got out of the car and closed the door, and warily followed Maratus to the door. Before they even made it inside, a well dressed man opened the door with a flourish, and greeted Maratus warmly.  
  
     "Hello Maratus! I assume this is your friend?" the man said smoothly. "My name is Orion, and what's yours?"  
  
      "It's Kleimann," Kleimann said in a gravelly tone.  
  
     "Kleimann, hmm? Lovely to meet you, my good man," Orion responded. "Welcome to my humble shop."  
  
     Maratus snorted, and walked into the building. Kleimann wasn't sure about this, but trusted Maratus enough that he followed. Inside were walls lined with racks of clothes even Kleimann knew were beautiful. Orion watched him look around with a pleased smile on his face.  
  
     "Like something you see?" Orion said. Kleimann didn't answer, in favor of moving a bit closer to Maratus. He wasn't quite hiding behind him, not that Maratus was large enough for that, but he was trusting Maratus to take the lead.  
  
\-----  
  
     After greeting Orion, Maratus noticed Kleimann sliding closer to him, obviously overwhelmed by the clothing designer. Maratus decided to get straight to the point.  
  
     "So, Kleimann needs better clothes, but I can't exactly take him in anywhere with his mask. And he's not taking that off, from what I understand." Kleimann shook his head at that, expressing his discomfort with removing his mask. "So we're here. Can you help out?"   
  
     "Of course," Orion said. "So Kleimann, if you're keeping your mask on, I'll assume you want something to match, yes? Let me see what I have." Orion then walked around the shop, picking out primarily dark purple pieces, as well as the occasional white and grey. He placed these on a rolling rack, moving it with him as he looked around the room. He then left said rack near the edge of the main room, near a curtained off area for changing.  
  
     "Here, pick out something you like, then you can change back there," Orion said, gesturing towards the curtains. Kleimann looked at the selection of clothes, then Orion, then back to Maratus. Maratus couldn't see his eyes, but could feel the apprehension coming off of his friend. He nudged Kleimann towards the clothes.  
  
     "Just pick out a shirt you like. Orion can figure out the rest." Maratus said. Kleimann's tension seemed to ease a bit at this, and he began tentatively looking through the rack of clothes. While he was distracted, Orion came over to Maratus.   
  
     "I have to admit, I have a few questions, but those can wait for another time," Orion said softly. He leaned in a bit closer to whisper, "But not one. You obviously feel something for him, what is it?"   
  
     Maratus blushed, fainly annoyed that Orion had picked up on it so quickly. That was what he got for being friends with a romantic. He lightly elbowed Orion in the stomach, otherwise ignoring the question.   
  
     "Don't worry, I'll get it out of you sooner or later," Orion murmured, finally moving away. Kleimann pulled away from the rack then, holding a pastel lilac button down, made in a very soft and light material. Orion seemed thrilled with his choice.   
  
     "Lovely, let me pick out some pants to go with that," Orion said, disappearing into the back of the shop. He emerged holding an equally soft pair of light ripped jeans, and held them out to Kleimann. "How about these? They should fit, and I think they'll suit you nicely. Try the outfit on, see how you like it."  
  
\-----  
  
     Kleimann went into the curtained room and began changing. He struggled a bit with the pants, torn as they were. He wasn't sure why he would want torn up pants, but trusted Maratus's friend on this matter. When it came to the shirt however, Kleimann wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't fit it over his head, and figured this wasn't made to be ripped. Eventually he gave up and walked out.  
  
     "How do I wear this?" Kleimann asked, holding the shirt up. Orion looked surprised for a minute before coming over to grab the shirt and starting to unbutton it. He carefully pulled the shirt up Kleimann's arms, and mostly buttoned it up, leaving the top 3 undone. Orion smiled to himself as he did this, though Kleimann had no clue why.  
  
     "What do you think, Maratus?" Orion said, proudly gesturing to his model. Kleimann noticed Maratus's face was a bright shade of red.  
  
     "H-he looks great," Maratus stammered. "Thank you, Orion."  
  
     "No problem, my friend. I always help out those in need," Orion replied.  
  
     Kleimann left them, and began inspecting himself in the mirrors in the corner of the room. He had seen his reflection once or twice before underwater, and again in Maratus's bathroom, but this was the first time he really looked at himself. He decided he liked his new appearance.  
  
\-----  
  
     Kleimann looked amazing. Damn Orion for having such good taste! Maratus could have never picked out such a great outfit on his own. He asked Orion for some shoe suggestions, and he disappeared into the back again with a pair of canvas shoes in a slightly darker shade of purple than the shirt.   
  
     "Kleimann, come try these shoes," Orion called to him. Kleimann came over and slipped his feet into them, and Maratus was pleased to see that they fit.  
  
     "Really, thank you Orion," Maratus said, paying him graciously. "Can we come back if we need anything else?"  
  
     "Of course. You're welcome anytime," Orion said. 


End file.
